I had an eye on this piece. I agree a very nice stick. It is not really a club being the same size as this. I also believe it to be East African. It does look older than my example but not necessarily so. I could not believe the price it went for. Even being very nice.

I had an eye on this piece. I agree a very nice stick. It is not really a club being the same size as this. I also believe it to be East African. It does look older than my example but not necessarily so. I could not believe the price it went for. Even being very nice.

Hello Tim,

yes, I also was one of the low bidders. I think the price it reached was because the beautiful patination of the wood. East Africa seems to be a good guess.

No, patina don't mean that something is very old but used extensiv over years. And the patination on the stick look good and real while the patination on the figures look somewhat doutful. The patination on the stick is what ethnograhic collectors look for IMHO.
The carving on the figures look similar but the chin-beard let it look somewhat different.
Anyway, it's a very nice status-stick/club.